• BIBLE, GERMAN [Strasbourg: Johann Mentelin, before 27 June 1466]

Collections:
  • Incunabula at Princeton
  • In Principio
  • Germany grouping
  • Collections Donated to Princeton University Library
  • The Scheide Library
  • Treasures of Rare Book Division
Curatorial Note:
  • Mentelin’s German Bible is the first to be printed in a vernacular language. Its type is a smaller version of Mentelin’s first font, with pages set in double columns of 61 lines versus the 49 lines of Mentelin’s Latin Bible. A copy in Munich was purchased on 27 June 1466 by an Augsburg merchant and chronicler, Hector Mülich. The text basis is a 14th century Middle High German literal translation, which included the false letter of Paul to the Laodiceans. Although more fluent German translations had been made in the late 14th and 15th centuries, Mentelin’s more antiquated text dominated, being followed by all subsequent German Bible editions until Martin Luther. At least eight manuscripts are known whose copyists used the Mentelin German Bible as their text source.
Bookseller:
  • Karl W. Hiersemann (Firm)
Uniform title:
  • Bible. German (Middle High German). 1466
Provenance:
  • Provenance: Georg Sumperer (d. 1586), Dean of Klosterneuburg, Austria; Canons of Klosterneuburg (inscription, Sept. 1655); acquired December 1927.
Former owner:
  • Stift Klosterneuburg
Language:
  • German, Middle High (ca.1050-1500)
Call number:
  • 53.9
  • Electronic Resource
Extent:
  • 406 leaves ; 37 x 27 cm (folio).
Format:
  • Book
Description:
  • Illuminated.
Publisher:
  • [Strasbourg : Johann Mentelin, 1466].
Title sort:
  • Bible, German.
Binding note:
  • Pigskin binding stamped G.S.D ("Georgius Sumperer Decanus"), 1578.
References:
  • Goff B-624
  • GW 4295
Printer:
  • Mentelin, Johann, approximately 1410-1478
Created:
  • 1466-01-01T00:00:00Z
Date:
  • 1466
Identifier:
  • ark:/88435/44558g85p
Location:
  • WHS 53.9
  • WHS Electronic Resource
  • ELF1 53.9
  • ELF1 Electronic Resource
Edm rights:
  • No Known Copyright
Range label:
  • Inscription
  • Preface
  • Genesis
  • Exodus
  • Leviticus
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